Incorporation by Reference
Applicant(s) hereby incorporate herein by reference, any and all U.S. patents and U.S. patent applications cited or referred to in this application.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to commercial trucks and more particularly to truck configurations adapted for long-range and extended duty in loading and hauling commercial consignments.
2. Description of Related Art
The following art defines the present state of this field:
Selby, U.S. Pat. No. 3,092,367 describes a truck and track combination having a forward cab, a truck frame and a cab guard mounted rearwardly of said cab on the truck frame, a boom assembly comprising, folding upper and dower pivoted sections of a boom means pivotally mounted on the rear end of said truck frame for overhanging projection rearwardly and upwardly from the truck frame in a rigidly extended load sustaining position, power operated means mounted on the truck frame and operatively connected to the boom means lower section for pivotally retracting the boom means in an extended condition against the cab guard and subsequently operative in cooperation with the cab guard to further retract the boom means into a folded condition with the pivot means of said sections disposed adjacent said cab guard.
Hand, U.S. Pat. No. 3,958,702 describes a mobile load handling apparatus for handling elongated loads including an elongated platform supported at an elevation above ground, and a crane at each end of said platform for alignment with a corresponding end of an elongated load. Each crane has an elongated mast with a base by which it is attached to the platform for radial movement thereon between one position in which it is disposed substantially horizontally across the corresponding end of the platform and another position in which it is disposed substantially erectly at one side of the platform. A jack is interconnected between the mast and the platform and is extendable and contractible to move the mast between its two positions. The mast has a free end opposite the base and an arm attached thereto at the free end for swinging thereon between an outstretched position in which it is in substantial axial alignment with the mast and a jack-knife position in which it forms a sharply acute angle with the mast. A further jack is interconnected between the mast and the arm and is extendable and contractible to move the arm between the two positions aforesaid relative to the mast, the arm having a free end remote from its point of attachment to the mast and an extension at the free end which is retractably propellable to lengthen and shorten the arm. A double-ended beam is suspended from the extension and is balanced to retain a substantially horizontal orientation irrespective of the positioning of the arm, and each end of the beam has locking devices cooperable with the top of said load. The height of the platform and the proportions of the mast and arm are scaled to enable stacking of two standard freight containers one on top of the other on one side of the platform and loading of one such container on a vehicle of standard height on the other side of the platform.
Brown, U.S. Pat. No. 4,049,238 describes a truck crane for use on a vehicle frame that includes a support frame including a pair of spaced apart support members, with means for pivotally mounting the support members at substantially one end thereof between operative and inoperative positions. To obtain various positions an extension device is cooperatively associated with the support members and includes a pair of extension members, each extension member and a respective support member being interfitted one within the other and being slidable and longitudinally adjustable relatively to its support member, so as to be adjustable between extended and retracted positions. Bridging means interconnecting the extension members at the free end is provided with releasably interconnecting means for retaining the support members and the extension members in longitudinally aligned extended and retracted positions. Hydraulic means is pivotally connected at one end thereof to the vehicle frame and at the opposite end pivotally connected to the support members, so as to support the support frame in selected operative positions. Winch means is contained on the vehicle, and cable means having a hook at one end extending over the bridging means and connected to the winch means at the opposite end thereof is utilized.
Donnelly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,078,818 describes a convertible vehicle in which a flatbed unit can be used to convert a tractor into a flatbed truck when the tractor is not used for towing a trailer unit.
Seabloom et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,383,792 describes a detachable crane or hoist for mounting on the bed of a pickup truck or other vehicle that is constructed from tubular members of square cross section. The structure is readily secured to the truck bed and the boom may be extended to selected lengths with guy lines arranged for the length selected. The boom is pivotally mounted on a roller mounted base and is easily erected and dismantled. A post or column is provided to guide the boom during vertical movement and is extendable to provide raised positions for guy lines and for the hoisting cable. A removable stop on the post provides a secure rest for the boom in its collapsed and lowered position. Short anchoring bars horizontally adjustable in sleeves secured to the rearward end of the structure are used for securing the structure to the truck bed. These bars may be replaced by long bars fitting the same sleeves and also sleeves in the forward end of the structure. The long bars are effective for facilitating removal of the crane from the truck.
Bedard, U.S. Pat. No. 4,948,326 describes a load lifting attachment suitable for mounting on a truck or other vehicle frame, which can handle, load, unload, lift and transport various loads including containers and pallets. The attachment is pivotally mounted behind a truck cab by mounting on a pair of support beams, which in turn are pivotally mounted to the truck frame. The attachment is pivoted to a raised position away from the rear of the truck frame when not in use permitting unimpeded connection of a trailer or the like to the truck frame by a fifth wheel or other trailer-attaching device. When not in use, the load lifting attachment may be secured to the truck cab. When in use, the attachment is pivoted to a lowered position.
Lute, U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,898 describes a truck mounted crane assembly including a turntable lock, a boom rest which interacts with the piston and cylinder device, and a swing away hoist mount. The turntable lock includes a pin which is manually retractable upon rotation of a handle from a position preventing relative rotation between a turntable and a pedestal to a position allowing such relative rotation and which can be secured in the first and second positions. The boom rest is mounted on the boom and rests on the cylinder of the piston and cylinder device when the boom is lowered to a predetermined position, thus taking much of the pressure off the piston. The boom rest is movable from a position in which it is capable of supporting the boom to a position in which it is incapable of supporting the boom and in which the boom is thus lowerable below the predetermined position. The provision of the turntable lock and boom rest obviates the need for a cradle rest for the boom. Finally, the hoist mount receives the hoist, is connected to the boom, and is movable under actuation of the hoist or telescoping of the end of the boom from a first, working position to a second position allowing access to the interior of the front end of the boom.
Grove, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,812 describes a truck mounted crane assembly including a turntable lock, a boom rest which interacts with the piston and cylinder device, and a swing away hoist mount. The turntable lock includes a pin which is manually retractable upon rotation of a handle from a position preventing relative rotation between a turntable and a pedestal to a position allowing such relative rotation and which can be secured in the first and second positions. The boom rest is mounted on the boom and rests on the cylinder of the piston and cylinder device when the boom is lowered to a predetermined position, thus taking much of the pressure off the piston. The boom rest is movable from a position in which it is capable of supporting the boom to a position in which it is incapable of supporting the boom and in which the boom is thus lowerable below the predetermined position. The provision of the turntable lock and boom rest obviates the need for a cradle rest for the boom. Finally, the hoist mount receives the hoist, is connected to the boom, and is movable under actuation of the hoist or telescoping of the end of the boom from a first, working position to a second position allowing access to the interior of the front end of the boom.
Pitman, U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,699 describes a self-propelled hauling vehicle. The vehicle has three main axles with two wheels per axle for a total of six wheels. Optional wheels can be added onto each axle for increased stability and also to reduce the pressure per wheel. The vehicle is sized to have a width of approximately thirty-four inches allowing the vehicle to fit through narrow spaces. Optional tracks can cover the wheels when needed. An extension crane with extendable hydraulic cylinders and pistons can raise and lower loads such as telephone poles and the like. The invention includes a storage platform thereon. The crane can include a conventional winch and pulley assembly with hooks. Optionally an auger can be suspended and operated by the end of the crane. The vehicle can include extendable stabilizer arms and foot pads for increased stability. The arms can be detachable when not used. An operator can control the vehicle by walking behind the vehicle and controlling the vehicles speeds, and other functions.
Jacob, U.S. Pat. No. 6,547,506 describes a truck having either a segmented body configured to receive a plurality of form fitted containers or a substitute body that can be interchangeably mounted on the chassis of the truck. The truck is also provided with a multi-purpose crane and a plurality of hydraulic valve banks mounted to the chassis of the truck, whereby the crane and hydraulic tools can be operated simultaneously. The truck may also be configured with various other features such as a hose reel or a snowplow.
Our prior art search with abstracts described above teaches: a folding boom, a mobile load handling apparatus, a porta-crane, a convertible flatbed truck, a crane for detachable mounting on a truck bed, a load lifting attachment mounted on a truck frame, a crane having a boom rest, a crane having swing away hoist mount, a mobile hauling vehicle, and a multi-task truck, but does not teach a flatbed truck with added gas tank configured below a sleeper unit forward of a compact picker crane. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.